


we are not history yet

by pawn_vs_player



Series: leave the light behind [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Artificial Intelligence, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Trailer, Bittersweet Ending, Character Death, Darkest Timeline, Gen, Major Character Undeath, although it isn't entirely accurate, bonus points to anyone who catches the greek mythology reference, that's the best description tag i could find
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 04:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17176298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pawn_vs_player/pseuds/pawn_vs_player
Summary: The food runs out. No one comes.The water runs out. No one comes.The oxygen runs out. No one comes.(The worst outcome is realized. Nebula fulfills a promise made to a dead man.)





	we are not history yet

**Author's Note:**

> i don't think this is what will actually happen (although i do have a horrible suspicion that tony is going to die). i just... had this idea and decided that if i had to suffer with it, the rest of you have to as well. :)  
> also, spoiler-y warning that i didn't want to put in the tags: there is a mercy killing. it is brief and absolutely non-graphic - it's just a line alluding to what's happening, which is why i was leery of tagging it - but it is present. keep your comfort in mind and don't read if that may trigger you.

The video is the equivalent of Tony's death rattle, the last thing he puts out into the world before he dies. He doesn't stop talking after the video is recorded, he doesn't stop trying to fix the ship, find help, send communications. He doesn't stop: Tony Stark was never going to go quietly into that good night.

He doesn't stop fighting, but even Tony Stark cannot keep the night from coming. 

There are about five minutes worth of oxygen left. Nebula sits next to him, the Iron Man helmet in her arms. Her chest is still in a way that used to disturb Tony; now it is a relief. Nebula has been remade over and over, because she was flesh and bone and Thanos wasn't satisfied with that. She does not breathe. The oxygen will run out, and Nebula will survive. The ship will drift and Nebula will survive until, inevitably, the ship finds some occupied corner of the universe. She will keep the video for Tony. She'll kill Thanos and get back to Earth and give Pepper his last message.

This is the promise Nebula has made.

He lost contact with Friday as soon as he'd left Earth, but he hadn't lost everything. The remnants of the armor are piled in his lap, the electrical current running through it bathing both of their faces in a ghostly light. He'd stripped everything useful he could get out of it long ago. Now, all that's left of the suit are scraps of metal and the oval-shaped data-core stacked on top of them.

The data-core is about the size of Tony's fist. A large chunk of the disassembled arc reactor, housed in faded red-and-gold metal, keeps the device powered. There is no particular pattern to it, no style or fancy design. It is functional. That's all Tony needed it to be.

Tony takes a deep breath. The air already smells off. There's not much time left.

He hands Nebula the data-core. She slides it inside the helmet and stands up. "You're sure about this?" she asks, voice echoing down the hollow corridors of the ship. 

Tony nods. "Make it quick."

Nebula looks at him for a long moment. "The only thing Thanos was right about," she says, black eyes unreadable in the dimness of the ship, "is that you are worthy of respect."

He smiles at her. "Give him hell for me."

Nebula nods.

Tony closes his eyes. He hears the clank of Nebula setting the helmet down on the metal floor and the soft tapping of her footsteps as she draws close to him. He feels her lean down over him, then the cold grip of her mostly-metal hands around his neck.

 _Why is it always the neck_ , he thinks to himself in a final moment of dark humor.

Her fingers tighten. She pulls his head around, and there is a flash of pain and a cracking sound.

And then there is nothing.

* * *

Eitri has grown used to space debris bonking into the unlit forge. This, however, is not the usual piece of space debris.

There is a blue woman aboard it, for one. Eitri can hear the song of machinery humming inside her body, overpowering whatever flesh is left. 

There is a blue woman, and she carries a helmet that sings of a suit of armor and a man with a star in his chest. The woman reaches inside the helmet and pulls out a primitive-looking data-core, meets Eitri's eyes, and says, "I need you to fix something for me."

* * *

The ship lands on top of the miraculously intact Tower. Nebula steps out and is met with a gun to the face.

"Are the Guardians alive?" she asks, focusing on the face behind the weapon. It is a human male, wearing a suit of armor similar to the one Tony had. "Are you James Rhodes?"

The weapon is not lowered, but the man's expression is less aggressive. "Who told you that name?"

"Tony Stark."

The gun retracts into the armor. "Yes, I'm James Rhodes," he says. "Where's Tony?"

Nebula bows her head. "He is... he said you would be know what the  _Daphne Protocol_ is?"

Rhodes closes his eyes. His arms fall limp to his sides. He looks like Nebula has stabbed him, like the only thing keeping him upright is the armor. "Yeah," he says, his voice ragged. "Yeah, I know what it is."

He takes a breath and draws himself up. Nebula can see why Tony loved this man.

"Where is he?"

Nebula leads him inside, to the bridge of the ship, where the data-core is connected to the ship's systems.

"Tony?" Rhodes calls, the armor's boots clanking against the floor. "This is a shitty joke, man."

"Sorry, buddy." The voice comes from all around. Slowly, the suit creaking, Rhodes sinks to the floor. "Not a joke."

* * *

Rhodes allows Nebula to take the helmet to Potts. "She's in the penthouse," he tells her. "Friday knows I think you're safe. You may want to give Fri an explanation on the way in, but she's not gonna shoot you as soon as you step outside."

"I appreciate it," Nebula replies, already on her way out.

Friday reminds her of how Gamora used to be, years ago. She is still learning how to be a person, but she is already very familiar with the cruelties of the world. She is also very protective of those she loves, and very suspicious of newcomers.

"If you attempt to hurt Miss Potts," Friday informs Nebula calmly, "I will atomize you."

"I do not intend to bring her harm," Nebula replies. "I am bringing her a message." She hoists the helmet higher in her arms so the cameras that Friday sees through can get a better look. "It's from Tony."

Friday does not say anything more, only opens the doors to lead Nebula to where Pepper Potts is sitting. She is alone on a couch, a pile of papers in her lap. She looks up at Nebula with sharp blue eyes. She opens her mouth to speak, probably to demand an explanation for Nebula's presence. 

Then her gaze lands on the helmet in Nebula's arms.

"He left a message for you," Nebula tells her quietly. "He said it would activate once I left you alone with it." 

She leaves the helmet on the low table in front of Potts and backs out of the room. She heard Tony recording it; she remembers his expression afterwards, his face in her hands, his final words.

She returns to the ship. She does not belong in Stark Tower, where Tony Stark lived and loved. She does not belong on Earth.

She has fulfilled her first promise. Now it is time to honor the other vow she swore to Tony Stark, the one he did not hear her speak. 

_Give him hell for me._

Thanos will regret not killing Nebula when he had the chance. 


End file.
